Peterson releases photo of him using illegal assault rifle on duty

Danya Hooker

Thursday

May 29, 2008 at 12:01 AMMay 29, 2008 at 2:31 PM

Drew Peterson has released a photo of him in uniform talking to actor John Travolta with a rifle strapped around his shoulder. In a release, Peterson's attorney Joel Brodsky said the rifle is the same one police are alleging Peterson owned illegally and that photo proves Bolingbrook police knew of the weapon.

Drew Peterson legally possessed the assault rifle for which is facing felony charges, and has a photo to prove it, Peterson's attorney said.

Peterson released the undated photo Wednesday night. In it, Peterson is in full police uniform standing next to another officer while they wait for actor John Travolta to sign an autograph. The officers had been assigned to provide security for the actor while he was in town promoting his movie "Battlefield Earth," released in 2000.

In a press release issued by Peterson's publicity agency, his attorney, Joel Brodsky, said the photo proves Peterson used the AR-15 rifle as a duty weapon and that the charges against his client should be dropped.

"This photo should convince the state police that they've made a mistake with these charges," Brodsky said in the release. "If not we might need to subpoena Mr. Travolta when this case goes to court."

Peterson was charged May 21 with felony unlawful use of the weapon. The charge alleges Peterson personally bought and owned the weapon, which has a barrel that is three-eighths of an inch shorter than the minimum 16 inches.

Peterson turned himself into authorities May 21 after learning that a warrant had been issued for his arrest. He was released a few hours later after posting the required $7,500 bond.

After the arrest, Brodsky said his client had purchased the rifle himself but used it as his SWAT team duty weapon, which makes it exempt from state law.

The Bolingbrook Police Department has said it has no record of the weapon. Brodsky has asked to subpoena the department for all records that might show Peterson qualified with the weapon. The department has said those records do not exist.

A hearing on the felony charge, which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence, is scheduled for May 30.

The full press release is available at http://www.prnewschannel.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=567&z=4.

Danya Hooker can be reached at dhooker@mysuburbanlife.com.

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